Club 80-90 Forums

The key thing is to know what you'll be using and how much each item consumes rather than take a splatter approach. Many 12v items are not efficient and its important to look at that when you buy anything. Lefty67 is more realistic I think and its the same approach I've taken. I don't use mains hookup ever but neither do I use the stereo when camped (big consumer). I do have a 17amp 240v to 12v transformer for emergencies if I did have access to mains but never had to use it.

I use LED lighting but I also use AA-powered LED lamps as they last for a week or so. Portable DAB radio is good. Even candles have their place at times. My leisure is pretty much dedicated to supplying the 12v feed to keep the Propex fired up at night as I detest being cold. For that reason I don't mess with say a TV, which I don't even watch at home, but portable tablets can be great if you load them up with movies. I find plenty to do without having to use much in the way of 12v entertainment anyway but my lad likes a couple of hours on his tablet each day.

For about £150 you can get a 220ah leisure battery which probably makes it simpler if you want a big 12v supply. You'd need to find cupboard space for it though. The kit you indicate is good. I use a simple relay and it works fine too.

If you're keen to go offgrid, solar a great idea although I know plenty that have invested in big panels and spend all their time on hookup or else are purely weekenders and the vehicle sits unused the rest of the time - go figure. Mines a daily driver and I enjoy long camps so a totally 12v system works great for me. I also have a CF8 zig unit which I'm tempted to remove as it just doesn't get used.

Ruralman wrote:Hi Emma&Al,
Check out the following:-



My understanding is that the Alternator will still charge the Leisure batteries once the starter battery reaches a particular level of charge the relay switches the charging to the leisure batteries.
Regards
Keith

in practice that simply is not true, after just a min or two the voltage of the main battery will be up to the sense level and the leisure battery will receive charge.
that is also true when using a solar panel, as soon as the panel charges the voltage sensing level is reached and the split charger will assume the main battery is charged and join the two together , defeating the solar panel controller

just put a volt meter on your main battery and start the engine, watch the volts immediately rise to the alternator voltage.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.
I currently use candles and a few portable LED lights running off AA batteries.I don't really put music on at the moment, as although I like DAB radio, id prefer to stick my iPod on and listen to some of my own music.
I used to have a set of good solar fairy lights in my old LDV van, they did quite good job, but would switch off randomly without warning!

Ive yet to buy the lights - I was looking at maplins LED spotlights, which someone on here suggested went well in his van.
Id like to have the solar fairy lights too and I already have some portable LED spotlights which you can hang wherever you like, that run on AA batteries.
Mocki, my understanding is so far off with things like this!
Covkid - so really I need to look at which lights I'm going to buy and how much power they will use? I have to admit Im wondering what else I would run from a Leisure Battery - its really only lights and music I want.
A 220 leisure battery sounds appealing but very heavy and I could put it under the rock n roll bed - would that be suitable just for some LED lights and having my main stereo on at night for example? Or would that just be OTT.

really depends on your set up
everything in my camper is 12v , the only thing that is mains ( from hook up ) is the battery charger , fridge and 12v power supply

i have all led lighting , fresh water pump, fridge ignition, broadcast radio,amateur radio , chargers for iphones and ipads, electric blanket, and eberspacher on my 100a leisure battery , charged by 150w solar panel and or split charge , we did 26 nights off grid around Ireland last August and didnt use one campsite and were also using the electric shower pump ontop of the usual stuff listed above

so a few led lights and a broadcast radio wont need much, but the bigger the battery capacity the longer it will last you

Mocki - that is amazing!! All of that on one leisure battery! Thats a lot isn't it? My old VW hi top had a leisure battery and a zig unit - and I have to say I really benefitted from it.